


We Can Leave It All Behind

by thatscalledyes



Series: Vero/Andy [1]
Category: Black Veil Brides
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-06
Updated: 2013-12-22
Packaged: 2017-12-17 21:54:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 10,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/872365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatscalledyes/pseuds/thatscalledyes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If Black Veil Brides showed up at your house, what would you do? Run away with them? Because that's exactly what Vero was about to do.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I want it to be true

_"Come on, Layla. Run away with me." Andy took her by the hand. "We can leave this all behind. We can go to a new city and start life all over. It doesn't have to be this way."_

_"Andy," Layla resisted. "My father... He'll come looking for me. He'll kill you if he finds out we ran away together. He'll kill me, too. This is a bad idea."_

_"Layla, look at me." Andy said._

_She looked up into his blue eyes and immediately became entranced. All her worries melted away. All of her doubts vanished._

_"Okay," She nodded. "Let's go."_

_Andy flashed her that perfect smile of his. He helped her grab her things and threw them out onto the lawn below the window. He hopped out onto the grass and reached up to help Layla out of the window when--_

"Vero! Dinner!"

Vero groaned. "Coming, Mom." She called back as she stopped typing and closed her laptop.

At this moment in time, Vero wasn't exactly happy with her mother. Although, what normal teenage girl is? Parents are always getting in the way of things. They're always saying something is too dangerous or telling you that you can't go somewhere because you didn't do your chores. You know, the classic parents. This time around, it was a concert.

Vero so desperately wanted to go to the Black Veil Brides concert that was happening that night just an hour away from her house but of course, her mother had said no.

As Vero sat at the dinner table with her mother and younger brother, she couldn't help but pout. Black Veil Brides was her favorite band and her mother just didn't understand how much going to see them live would mean to her.

"Vero, stop moping. We're trying to have a nice family dinner." Her mother scolded.

Vero rolled her eyes at her mother. "Yeah, Mom? Well, maybe I wouldn't be moping if you had just let me go to the concert with Farrah. Farrah can drive and we would be perfectly safe, you know that--"

"I said no, Vero. Besides, it's too dangerous for two eighteen year old girls to be out by themselves in a dangerous city such as Worcester."

This caused Vero to roll her eyes again. "But Mom. We're both eighteen. We're both responsible adults. I just don't understand why you can't just let me go."

"Because, I'm your parent and I said no. I brought you girls to Warped tour. Maybe if Farrah's parents had agreed to bring you girls, I would have said yes."

"But Mom, Farrah's parents were okay with letting us go up by ourselves. Why can't you be cool like them?" Vero's brother snickered at her comment. "Do you find this entertaining?" She snapped at him. He quickly shook his head and went back to eating his rice.

"You really don't understand how big of a deal this is for me, Mom. This band saved my life. Don't you understand that?" She continued.

"That's nice, honey, but I said you can't go. You're not taking my car, you have no money of your own, and besides, it's terrible weather to be traveling all the way to Worcester in anyway."

Vero balled her fists and all she felt like doing was screaming. She couldn't take it anymore. She felt like her mother really just didn't care that these five men were keeping her daughter alive and all she wanted to do was go and see them once.

"Fine." She stood up from the table and grabbed her plate to put in the sink before she stormed off to her room. She brought up Facebook and immediately sent a vent message to Farrah who she knew would understand how she felt.

**Farrah: Don't you think you're overreacting just a little? I mean, yeah, I wanted to see them just as much as you did but there'll be another concert.**

_Vero: Overreacting? Wow. Thanks Farrah. I thought you of all people would understand._

Vero hated to admit it, but she had a bad temper. One little comment could piss her off for days. That's why she was getting so 'overworked' as some might say over the concert. 

**Farrah: Vero, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you upset.**

_Vero: Whatever, Farrah. I'll talk to you later. Excuse me while I go cry myself into death._

"Vero!" Her mother called to her again.

"God fucking dammit. What does she want now." Vero muttered under her breath as she sulked down the hallway back into the kitchen.

"I have to bring your brother to his friend's house, okay?" Her mother was scooting her little brother outside to the car.

"Whatever." Vero rolled her eyes at her mother and went back to her room.

When her mother was finally gone, she grabbed a couple towels and headed upstairs to take a shower. She just needed to go cry. She couldn't handle anymore of these feelings and the shower was the best place to cry. In case her mom came home before she was out, she wouldn't hear her sobbing.

She stood there with her forehead resting against the tile wall while the water ran down her face and washed away her salty tears. If only Andy were here to take her away like Layla in her story. That's all she wanted. She wanted to be saved. She couldn't stand living here any longer. She felt trapped and the ironic thing was she lived right across from the state highway. She could leave here whenever she wanted, yet she was still trapped.

She stepped out of the shower and wrapped the navy blue towel around her slim body. She shook out her wet hair and wrung it out over the bathtub before grabbing her pile of clothes and making her way back down stairs to her room. Her mother wasn't home yet and she was glad. She really didn't want to deal with her right now. She walked through the living room and into the kitchen. As she passed by the glass sliding door, she almost didn't notice the face that was peeking in at her.

She screamed and jumped back, gripping the towel and tightening it around her body. She stared at the face looking in at her and realized the face belonged to Andy Biersack.


	2. We can leave it all behind

None of this could possibly be happening. Andy Biersack wasn't standing outside her house right now requesting to be let inside. But he was.

Vero held up a finger to indicate that she needed just another minute. She dashed down the hallway towards her room and slammed the door, immediately pulling all the curtains shut before throwing on a pair of sweat pants, a band t-shirt and a sweatshirt. She prepped her wet hair real quick to make sure it looked halfway decent before hurrying down the hall back to the door to let Andy in.

"Hey, thanks." He said as he stepped inside the warm house.

"H-h-h..." She was speechless. Andy Biersack was standing in front of her in all his wondrous glory. She decided this must be a dream or something. She must've fallen asleep before she went upstairs for a shower and she was just dreaming. What would he be doing here anyway? There was no logical reason for him to be at her house right now.

"Our bus broke down on the highway. I came to see if there was anyone around who could help us." Andy explained.

Well, there was a logical reason for him to be standing in her kitchen right that second.

"I-I..." Again, no words were uttered.

"Sorry, I've been rude. I'm Andy." He held out his hand for her to shake. She extended a shaky hand and shook his hand weakly.

"I know." She managed to say. "I mean, I know who you are. I love your music."

"Ah, a fellow fan!" Andy exclaimed. "Were you going to be at the show tonight?"

Vero shook her head solemnly. "Unfortunately no..."

"Well, if we get the bus back up and running, maybe we can take you there. Would you like that?" Andy suggested.

Vero's face lit up like a young child's on Christmas morning. "Yes. Wow. I can't believe you're standing here right now. This is a dream. It has to be. Oh my god." She started to choke on the upcoming tears.

Andy reached for Vero and pulled her into him. She almost melted at his touch. She couldn't wrap her brain around the fact that the love of her life was holding her in his arms. She tried to blink back the tears as best she could but let a few slip out.

"Oh, here. Let me call someone for you." Vero said, pulling out of Andy's embrace. She dialed a mechanic service for Andy and then told him they would be about twenty-thirty minutes. "Do you want to sit?" She motioned to the couch and he followed her into the living room.

"So why couldn't you go to the show tonight?" Andy asked, scooting a little closer to Vero. He found her very beautiful but he wasn't really sure being attracted to a fan was such a good idea.

"My stupid mother wouldn't let me and my friend drive up there. I told her that we're both responsible eighteen year old girls. I just don't understand... I was so upset about not being able to go." Then Vero remembered that she had just spent the last twenty minutes crying in the shower. She immediately realized her face must be all puffy and her eyes all red. Andy was sitting next to her and all she wanted to do was impress him. For all she knew, she had probably just turned him away with just her appearance.

"You're eighteen?" Well this was good. Now he didn't feel as guilty about being attracted to her.

She nodded. "Yeah, so I just don't get why I couldn't go out with my friend by myself. I was so looking forward to seeing you guys live. I never have before and you all have done so much for me. I feel like I owed it to you."

Andy half smiled at her sweet nature. "Run away with me." He said.

Vero's head snapped up to look at him. Did he just say what she thought he had said? No, no it couldn't be.

"Are-Are you serious?" She looked at him with hopeful eyes.

"You really hate this town that much?" He asked.

She nodded. "Absolutely. There's nothing to do here. I'm trapped."

"Come with me." He said again. "We can leave it all behind. You don't ever have to come back here again if you don't want to. You can stay on the tour bus with me and the guys. We'll take care of you."

She wondered where in the world this was all coming from. This sounded just like the story she was writing. Andy asks the girl to run away with him. He says he'll take good care of her. All of this was incredibly odd. She still thought this was a dream. It had to be. How else would everything in her story be happening in real life?

"Are you sure?" She asked again, still not believing it all.

"Of course." He said confidently.

Vero nodded. "Well, help me pack my bags?"


	3. Yes it is true, I finally fell in love

"Vero, I'm home." Her mother stepped through the glass sliding door and into the warmth of the house. It had just stopped snowing outside.

When she received no response, her immediate thought was that her daughter had fallen asleep. "Vero? Honey?" She made her way down the hallway towards Vero's closed door. "Vero?" She knocked but there was no answer. She turned the handle of the door and slowly pushed it open. The door hinges creaked as the bottom dragged across the carpet.

Vero was gone. All of her possessions, her clothes, her computer, everything. The room was close to empty. Her mother clasped a hand to her mouth and tears began to fall from her eyes. Her first born child was gone.

She ran back down the hallway towards the kitchen where the phone was. She dialed Vero's cell phone number but was redirected to voice mail. Her mother had no idea what to do. She couldn't file for a missing persons report for another twenty four hours. All she could really do at that moment was wait and pray that Vero wasn't dead or that she would come back in the morning.

****

The thrashing sounds, the bright lights, the hectic atmosphere; it was all so different and exciting. Vero still couldn't believe that she was standing back stage of a Black Veil Brides show.

"That was so crazy!" She exclaimed. "Being back stage is so much cooler than being in the audience. Being so close to you guys when you perform; it's awesome." She beamed at Andy. She couldn't remember a time where she had ever been happier.

"I'm glad you liked it." Andy smiled at her and slipped his arm around her waist protectively. He felt the need to protect her. She was so small and delicate looking. He wanted to make sure nothing and no one ever hurt her.

As if she hadn't already fallen completely for him, Vero could feel herself falling even more and more for him. She didn't think it was possible to love someone so much. She began to feel that now he was really a part of her and without that vital piece of her, she would surely die.

When they returned to the bus, Vero went and changed into her pajamas. It had been a pretty long night for her. She wasn't used to going like that on Saturday nights. Usually she just spent her life on the internet looking at pictures of Andy and dreaming of the day he would finally notice her. She also wanted to write more of her fan fiction story.

"You're going to bed already?" Andy observed.

"Well... Yeah?" It was more of a question than a statement.

"You don't want to go out with us tonight?" Ashley commented as he pulled on his leather vest.

"I can't go out with you guys. I'm not twenty one yet..." Vero said. "It's okay, though." She assured. "I'll be fine here until you guys get back."

Andy kissed her on the top of her head. "Well, okay. I feel bad for just leaving you here but maybe I can make it up to you tomorrow. Sound okay?"

Vero smiled. "Of course."

As soon as the guys were gone, she jumped into her bunk and snuggled up under her covers with her laptop resting on her legs. Finally she could work on her fan fiction story without the guys around. She didn't want them to know she wrote fan fiction about them. They would make fun of her about it for sure and that was the last thing she wanted. Just the thought of them knowing brought a sense of embarrassment to her.

This next chapter she had decided was going to be based on her experience tonight. It was perfect.

_The music, the lights, the stage; it was all so different. Layla was amazed with all the energy and commotion going on backstage. She had always wanted to be backstage during a rock concert and now she was. Every time she saw Andy look over at her and smile, her heart melted a little more each time._


	4. Suspicious

After about the third time of trying to get Vero to go out with them, the guys had decided to just give up. Andy didn't want to give up yet but he was on the brink of just saying he didn't care anymore. Even though his frustration was right up there with everyone else's, he knew something about Vero that the other guys didn't.

"What do you think she does on the bus while we're out?" Ashley strode over to Andy with a glass of alcohol in his hands.

"I don't know." Andy lied as he looked down at his phone and smiled.

"What are you smiling at?" Ashley tried to peek over at Andy's screen but Andy hid the illuminated screen from him.

"Nothing." Andy answered quickly.

Ashley raised one eyebrow at his friend and then shrugged. "I'll see you later, Andy. Right now, I got my eye on that hot blonde over there." Ashley pointed to the fake bottle blonde.

"Okay, Ash. I think I'm going to head back to the bus now. I'll see you when you and the guys get back." Andy called after him before making his way through the big crowds of people and out into the frigid late January air.

When he got back to the bus, Vero was surprised to say the least. She jumped so much her head practically hit the ceiling.

"H-Hey, Andy..." She said, trying to hide her embarrassment and now rosy red cheeks. "I wasn't expecting you back until much later." She curled up into the corner of the couch more.

"Yeah, well I felt bad about leaving you here all alone." Andy said. "Hey, what are you doing?" Andy sat down next to her and attempted to look over at her computer screen.

"N-Nothing!" Vero quickly shut her laptop and held it close to her.

She mentally slapped herself for making her reaction seem extremely suspicious. But she couldn't help it. She really didn't want Andy to know about her fan fiction. She knew that he and the guys went on tumblr and read the fan fiction on there. She had to admit, the majority of fan fictions about the guys weren't the best writing she's ever read but at the same time she didn't think it was okay for them to make fun of their fans' writing either. She could only imagine what he would say about hers.

"Oh, I get it." Andy said with a sly smile. "Porn?" He guessed and couldn't help but burst out laughing at his own joke.

Vero's face got warmer and she could practically feel how red her face was. She realized she was going to have to be much more careful about where she worked on her stories.

"No! God no!" She shouted at him. The embarrassment was overwhelming but when she saw his smile, she couldn't help but start laughing along with him.

They laughed until their stomachs hurt and their eyes watered. They laughed until they forgot about what they were laughing at. Every time they started to calm down a little, they would glance at each other and start laughing again.

"It's already midnight." Vero observed, trying to stop herself from laughing again and attempting to change the subject.

"Are you tired?" Andy asked.

Even though she wasn't that tired, she nodded. She needed to get the next chapter of her story done. She had many people, one person in particular, who loved her stories. They couldn't seem to get enough of them and she wanted to keep everyone happy.

"Okay," Andy continued. "I'll let you sleep, then." He sounded defeated.

Vero smiled and stood up from the couch with her laptop safely cradled in her arms. "Goodnight, Andy." She said and turned to go down the hallway to her bunk.

"Hey, Vero?" Andy called after her and she turned around. "Maybe tomorrow you can at least go out somewhere with me?" He asked, hopeful.

"Sure, Andy." She agreed with a luminous smile and continued down the hallway.

Once he was sure she was in her bunk, he followed the path she had just taken to get to his own bunk.

Vero pulled her blankets up over her legs and rested the computer on her lap. She typed the last few sentences and published the next chapter of her story. Within minutes, she was getting new comments.

She clicked on the 'Alerts' tab and smiled when she saw _BlackVeilBridesfan101_ had commented on her story. This one person was her biggest fan.


	5. Racing faster, escape disaster

_Blackveilbridesfan101: Amazing chapter! I cannot wait until the next one! This is literally so perfect!_

Vero smiled at the comment as she clicked reply and wrote back.

_Vero: haha thanks Kate! I really appreciate it! I'll update as soon as I can, just for you!_

"Vero, I'm not giving up on you." Andy stood in front of Vero's bunk and demanded she leave the bus for once. "Just a couple hours. You've been trapped on this bus since we got you. You have to get out once in a while."

"You sound like my mother." Vero complained and got out of her bunk. "What do you want, Andy?"

"Please go out with us tonight? We found a place that's eighteen and over. Please?" Andy gave her the irresistible puppy dog eyes.

She attempted to resist. "But... I promised my friend I would update--"

"Update?" The word caught his attention. "Update what?"

 _Shit._ Vero cursed silently. "Yeah... My... My blog. You know, on tumblr."

"Oh, gotcha." Andy said in a not very believing tone. He knew something was up with Vero but he just needed to figure it out. "Well, tell your friend she's going to have to wait. I want to spend time with you."

Vero tried to hide the blush that was slowly creeping up on her cheeks. She smiled and decided to give in to him. "Fine."

Andy cheered and led her off the bus into the frigid February air. He held her close to him as they walked to the place the guys had decided to hang out at. Vero loved how protective Andy was and she loved being nestled into his side. She felt safe by his side.

The night itself was perfect. It was everything she could have asked for. They all had a really great time, even when some random drunk guy tried hitting on Vero.

"I said get away from me, you asshole. Jesus." She pushed him away again and he kept stumbling back to her.

"Hey, she said stop." Andy swooped in to her rescue.

She loved being protected like that. She found Andy super sexy when he got defensive and especially attractive when he was being defensive over her. It was like her entire life had taken one large u-turn. She was no longer the lonely girl in the back corner of the classroom who only had one or two close friends. She wasn't just the pretty girl who none of the guys liked because of what she liked. She no longer felt like she was trapped anymore. She didn't feel judged. For once, she felt free.

Andy took her outside and sat with her on the sidewalk. He ended up lighting a cigarette while they were out there and offered her one as well but she refused. She knew what damage smoking could do to her lungs and she really didn't want to start.

"Th-thanks for saving me back there." She stuttered from the cold air prickling her skin.

"Are you cold?" Andy asked, watching her teeth chatter as she rubbed her arms to keep her warm. He removed his jacket and draped it around her shoulders. "And really, it was no problem at all."

She just sat there and smiled at him while she gazed into his eyes. She couldn't look away. His eyes had captured her and wouldn't let her go.

Just when she was about to break the gaze, Andy's lips were hovering right above her own. She had watched people kiss in the movies and in the hallways at school but no guy had ever been interested in her enough to want to kiss her. And now Andy Biersack's gorgeous lips were about to connect with hers. Her emotions were going crazy. She didn't know whether she should start crying or laughing or what. She just knew that she felt in the pit of her stomach, that vague sense of excitement.

As his lips pressed onto hers, she instantly felt a spark between them. The butterflies pounded against the walls of her stomach and her heart began to race faster. She could feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Just that simple touch was all it took to get her pulse racing faster. This was definitely going in her story.

As they continued to kiss, she began to feel a sense of guilt. What was Andy going to think if he found out about her story? Would he be mad that she had used their experience? Would he be embarrassed? Or would he laugh at her and call her a fangirl? That was the last thing she wanted but she couldn't help but feel extreme guilt for hiding that big secret from him.


	6. This is Valentines Day

Valentines Day was probably Vero's least favorite day of the year. It was just another reminder of how lonely she really was and how no guy would ever give her roses or chocolates or any of the other things girls get from their boyfriends. She would have to go buy chocolate for herself when it went on sale the next day. The day after Valentines day was her favorite day of the year.

She hoped this year might be different because she was spending it with Andy and the other guys. She hoped they might do something to make her feel special. But when she woke up that morning, it seemed like it was just another normal day and that disappointed her. She felt her heart drop in her stomach when she walked out and saw Andy in his boxers playing video games with Jinxx.

"Oh, hey Vero." He said quickly, not even granting her the slightest glance. His focus was too concentrated on the screen in front of him.

"Hey..." She said, defeated.

He could hear the flat tone of her voice and paused the game to look at her sulking on the couch. "I was thinking, maybe you and CC could hang out today! I have a few things to do and he's wanted to spend some time with you."

"Yeah, I can show you a good time!" CC exclaimed, walking out into the living area and plopping himself down next to Vero.

She giggled. CC always knew how to make her laugh. "Are you sure I'm worthy enough to hang out with the magical Christian Coma?" She laughed again and CC smiled.

"Yeah, let's go party!" CC jumped up from the couch and grabbed Vero's hand, pulling her up with him.

CC ended up keeping Vero busy the whole day and by the fourth or fifth hour of them being together, she began to get suspicious.

"CC, what on earth are we doing?" She questioned.

"Just chillin, you know. You're always cooped up on the bus and I never got the chance to get to know you very well yet. Andy's really the only one who's actually had a full conversation with you." CC pointed out.

He did have a point and Vero began to think he was right about being held up in the bus all the time. She was living with her favorite band. She should try and get out with them more. The tour wasn't going to last forever.

"Oooh! Ice cream!" CC pointed to a little shop across the street. "Want some?"

"Sure." Vero agreed and CC grabbed her hand again, pulling her across the street towards the ice cream shop.

After getting their ice cream, CC and Vero sat on a park bench and watched people go by as they ate.

"You know, Andy really likes you, Vero." CC mentioned.

"I don't know about that, CC... I mean, who would like me..." She looked down at her lap. She always felt insecure about relationships and she knew CC was the same way.

"Look, Vero, I know how you feel. I get insecure about asking people out and how other people feel about me, too. But I can tell you that he definitely does like you a lot." CC reassured.

Vero half smiled. "Thanks, CC. You're really great." She hugged him awkwardly but sincerely. CC really didn't get enough credit or thanks for everything he did and that made her sad.

"Well, it's starting to get dark. Maybe we should head back." CC suggested.

"Yeah, you're right." Vero agreed. It was beginning to get cold out even though they were in Florida and she had forgotten her jacket on the bus thinking she wouldn't need it.

The two hurried back to the bus and when they got back, CC let Vero get on first. "Ladies first." He insisted.

She thanked him and stepped onto the bus but CC didn't follow. The bus door slammed shut and CC was gone. The bus was dark with the faint glimmer of a candle burning in the distance. As she walked further into the bus, she saw that there were more than just one candle. There were dozens all lit and arranged in groups around the bus. The floor was littered with rose petals but there wasn't anyone around. She sure hoped she hadn't just walked in on Jinxx with Sammi and she definitely didn't want this to be some big joke.

She continued walking but then heard a noise behind her and spun around. Strangely, no one was there. Then, someone grabbed her waist from behind and she screamed.

Andy chuckled and calmed her down. "It's just me!" His deep voice sailed through her ears.

"Jesus, Andy. You fucking scared me half to death." She smacked his chest.

He just kept laughing from her reaction and she was getting angrier with each passing second. It was her bad temper getting to her again. She wanted to control it in front of Andy but it was getting harder to.

"Okay, I'm sorry." Andy apologized. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"What is all this?" Vero looked around at the dimly lit, romantic looking room.

"It's for you." Andy declared. "Happy Valentines Day, Vero."

For once, she could tell this was going to be a good Valentines day. Finally, she wasn't going to sit in her room and think about how shitty her day was. No more thoughts about how many people were getting laid at that exact moment and how many more hours until all the chocolate went on sale. Tonight was finally her night.


	7. Every little thing is going to be alright

Vero's night with Andy had been amazing and she didn't think her life could possibly get any better. And she was right. Ever since she had left home, she hadn't spoken to her mother at all. She was worried about her and her brother. The fact that her mother hadn't sent out a search crew after her made Vero get a little paranoid.

She decided it was time to call her mother up. She needed to know if everything was alright at home. She just had to bear through the screaming and yelling but it the knowledge of her family's safety was worth it.

She dialed the number with Andy right by her side for support. She put the phone against her ear and listened to each ring. By the third ring, she began to get worried that no one would pick up. Finally, her brother's voice came through.

_"Hello?"_

"Cameron! It's Vero!" She exclaimed, relief filling her body at the sound of her annoying brother's voice.

 _"Oh, hey fish face."_ Her brother insulted with his sibling love.

Vero rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Is Mom there? I need to talk to her."

 _"Uuuuuuuummm."_ It sounded as though he was looking around the room. _"Mom! Vero's on the phone!"_ He then shouted out.

There was a slight rusting as the phone was handed off and her mother's shaky voice came on.

_"V-Vero, sweetie?"_

"Yeah, Mom. It's me. I'm alive and I'm okay." Vero assured.

_"Good, good. I'm glad."_

But she still sounded wary.

"Mom, is... Is everything okay over there? I'm sorry I ran off but--"

 _"No, Vero. It's not okay."_ Her voice came through stronger than before. Her mother took a deep breath. _"Vero... Your grandmother passed away last night."_

It was easy to tell that Vero's mother was holding back her tears. Vero, on the other hand, was in such a state of shock that she almost felt numb. She couldn't feel any kind of emotion. It was like her whole body had shut down.

"Oh..." Was all she could really manage to say.

_"Vero, I want you to come home for the funeral. It's only fair to your grandmother. I know how close you were with her. She would want you there."_

Vero knew she had to go back home for the funeral. It was the right thing to do. But she didn't want to have to stay home and never see Andy again. She wanted to continue touring with them. This part of her life had been the only time she really felt accepted by someone other than her family.

"I'll come home for the funeral as long as I get to go back to what I'm doing afterwards. I really just don't want to be there anymore, Mom. I love what I'm doing here and I'm already eighteen years old. There comes a time when you have to let me go off and do my own thing."

Her mother sighed. _"Okay, sweetheart. If what you're doing now is making you happy, I guess that's okay."_

Vero smiled at her mom's words. Finally, she had gotten her mother to realize that she wasn't six years old anymore. She didn't need to be watched over or protected anymore. She was an adult now.

"Mom? There's one more thing I wanted to ask." Vero began. Her mom stayed silent, so she continued. "Is it alright if I bring a few friends with me to the funeral? I know they would want to be there to support me."

 _"Of course, honey. That's okay with me."_ Her mother agreed.

After hanging up the phone with her mom, she looked at Andy and tears sprung leaks from her eyes. He pulled her in close and she sobbed into his leather clad shoulder. He rubbed circles on her back and just held her, occasionally letting her know that everything was going to be okay. Andy had been through the same thing when his grandfather had passed and he knew how terrible Vero felt.

"It's getting late." Andy observed. "Come on." He helped her stand up with him and led her and her shaking body to her bunk. He let her get in first and then slid in after her. He wrapped his arms around her trembling torso and kissed her temple a few times. "Everything is going to be alright." He comforted and laid with her until sleep overcame them both.


	8. Walk you to the grave

When someone in your family passes away, it's one of the most heart wrenching things you will ever experience in your life. Vero was beginning to learn that. She stood outside the funeral home, watching the men bring her grandmother's casket to the hearse and her family get in their respective cars. She really just didn't want to be here anymore. She didn't want to process down the street in a huge parade of cars. She didn't want to go to the church and sit there among her weeping family. She didn't want to go to the cemetery. All of that made it too real for her.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked over at her mother, giving her a sympathetic look. Sympathy was the last thing she wanted right now. They were all going through the same thing. Why bother with sympathy? It wasn't helping much.

She took one last glance at the casket before following her mother and brother to the car. It was a slow and painful ride to the church with only the sound of the windshield wipers going and the clicking of the buttons on her brother's DS.

When she got out of the car, she didn't bother to run for shelter from the rain like everyone else. She made her way slowly, not caring how wet she got. She reminisced about when her grandma had told her that rain is musical. If you listen closely, the rain plays you a song. She never forgot that.

By the time she had reached the church, her mascara was running not only from the rain but from the tears that had begun from the memory. Her mother held her close and walked down the aisle behind the casket with the rest of her family following behind them. Vero looked around at all the people standing in the pews, there to pay their respects. She managed a half smile when she saw Andy and the BVB boys standing there with slight grimaces on their faces.

Andy reached out his hand for her to hold briefly as she went by. His touch calmed her frantic emotions and helped get her through almost the entire funeral mass.

When they all got to the cemetery, Vero knew she was in the homestretch and that everything was almost over. A family friend came by and wrapped an arm around Vero's shoulder. She crumbled at the touch and she couldn't help but break down again. She hated to cry in front of people and she was especially embarrassed that Andy was witnessing it all.

After the whole shebang was over, they all went back to Vero's grandmother's house to have a little remembrance party. It was nice seeing all her extended family and cousins from other parts of the country. She was happy to see everyone smiling, laughing at jokes and just having a good time despite the circumstances.

"Hey, how are you holding up?" Andy plopped down onto the couch next to Vero.

She shrugged. "Fine, I suppose."

Andy put his arm around her and nudged her closer to his side. He leaned over and kissed her forehead and she rested her head on his shoulder. "I know what you're going through." He said. "If you ever want to talk about it, let me know."

Vero just nodded her head against his shoulder and sighed. She was emotionally drained from today and all she really wanted to do now was go to sleep and pretend the past week hadn't happened.


	9. Exposed

Vero never felt more at home than when she was on the bus again. She was away from all the mourning and grieving. She was with a group of people that she really loved and cared for and she knew that they felt the same way about her. Everything was perfect again.

Well, it was close to perfect, anyway. Andy still woke up in the middle of the night sometimes to hear Vero crying in her bunk. He'd swoop in, hold her in his arms and tell her everything was going to be alright. Andy couldn't have been more wrong.

One night, the boys had left Vero on the bus as they usually did. She didn't mind being left alone. As much as she wanted to go see their show, she wanted to update her story more. And besides, after seeing the show 10 times, it starts to get a little boring just hanging out backstage waiting.

Vero was on the couch, typing away on her lap top and had been so wrapped up in what she was doing that she hadn't even realized Andy had come back to the bus. The rest of the guys decided to go out and party but Andy wanted to go back to the bus to be with Vero. He felt bad about leaving her alone all the time and wished he could take her out with the rest of the band.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Andy went over to sit down next to Vero. He attempted to peek over at her screen but she pulled the laptop close to her and turned the screen away from him.

"Nothing." She replied back quickly. This was the third time Andy had been trying stick his nose in her business.

"Come on, Vero. Let me see." Andy whined, again trying to crane his neck around to see the computer screen. "Mibba? What's that?" He said when he managed to briefly catch a glimpse of the website.

"Nothing, Andy!" Vero shouted at him.

"Are you watching porn?" Andy joked.

Vero could feel her face turning the brightest shade of red. "I am not." She said defiantly.

"Then what's Mibba?" Andy persisted.

"I told you, it's nothing." She repeated and began to get up from the couch.

Andy saw she was trying to make her escape so he pounced on top of her, causing the computer to tumble gently onto the carpet. To keep her from going anywhere, he sat on top of her playfully.

"Andy, get off me!" Vero shouted, giggling. He had made her completely forget all about what was now exposed on her computer screen.

Andy picked up the computer and placed it in his lap. He began reading quickly and before he could finish, Vero pushed him off her and snatched the computer out of his hands.

"I read your story." Andy smiled at her.

Vero could feel embarrassment bubbling up inside her. "And...?" She really didn't want to know what he thought but her curiosity would get the better of her eventually.

"You're a really talented writer." He complimented.

"Wait." Vero came to a realization. "How have you read the whole story? I only had the chapter I was writing up on the screen."

Andy was silent for a minute. He tried to come up with some other excuse as to why he had said he read her whole story. After coming up with nothing, he decided to come clean. "I'm BlackVeilBridesfan101. I'm your biggest fan."

Now the tables had turned. Andy was Vero's biggest fan. But Vero was Andy's biggest fan. Vero couldn't think straight. She thought back to the story and everything she had put into it. Her interpretation of Rebel Love Song, her experiences with Andy on tour, all her feelings and thoughts. Andy basically had crept into her mind without her even realizing it.

"At first it had been a big joke account." Andy began to explain. "The guys and I made it because we had heard of 'Andley' stories and about how our fans wrote stories about us. We wanted to see if they were actually any good and what they involved. The guys became bored with it but I secretly kept going on in search of at least one decent story. I knew that not all the stories out there had been written by thirteen year old fangirls." Andy half smiled at the memories of laughing at some of those terribly written stories out there. "Anyway," He continued. "I finally came across your story and I fell in love with it. It was weird at first to be reading about myself and some random girl you made up in your head, but it was a really good story."

"The girl isn't random or made up, though." Vero couldn't believe she was about to admit this. "The girl is me. The whole story is about you and me, Andy. Writing my fan fiction is my way to live out my feelings for you." Vero sighed, running a hand through her hair. She could tell Andy felt unsure of what to say, so she continued. "I promise I'm not a crazy fangirl that only wants to get in your pants. I mean, I wouldn't mind that but I do really like you as a person. It's hard to explain but I feel so close to you. I feel like I know so much about you and I really do think we belong together."

Andy didn't know what to say to that. "I think I just need to think this whole situation through. Maybe reading your fan fiction was a bad idea to start. I'll see you in the morning, Vero."

Vero wanted to cry. In all honesty, that's all she could think of doing in that exact moment. She felt like after admitting her feelings to him, he didn't want her. And Andy not wanting her was the worst feeling she could ever experience.


	10. Inside me there's a fire that burns

Andy hadn't spoken to her in three days. Vero wasn't sure why he was so displeased with her. It wasn't like she was writing about how badly she wanted to get in Andy's pants, although she knew she really wanted to.

Andy on the other hand just found the whole situation uncomfortable. Vero was writing about him and she didn't even really know him. He didn't really know her. The whole idea of her writing about how badly she wanted to be with him kind of freaked him out a little bit. Now that he actually knew Vero as a person, it made everything weird. He genuinely thought that she had been writing about a random girl Andy had met and was telling a story about their life together. Now he felt like she was just a crazy fan.

No matter how many times she apologized, he never seemed to want to listen. She was getting more and more frustrated with every passing second. If only he would just listen to her.

When Andy was on the bus, Vero didn't leave her bunk. She was afraid of what he would do or say. More importantly, she was afraid of what he wouldn't say. When Andy wasn't on the bus, she would walk around the bus freely and talk with a few of the other guys. She was beginning to get especially close with CC now that Andy wasn't the topic of interest anymore. She really liked CC. He was funny, optimistic, and overall, really fun to be around.

"So why has Andy been giving you the cold shoulder?" CC wondered aloud as they walked down the sidewalk together.

"No reason." Vero didn't want to start this feud all over again but with CC.

CC shrugged. "There's gotta be a reason. He wouldn't just hate you for nothing."

Vero sighed. "I don't know. If there's a reason, I don't know what it could be."

"Well, Andy is missing out." CC confirmed. "You're really a great girl. I don't know how he could ever be mad at you."

Vero had to admit that CC was probably one of the sweetest guys she had ever met. As badly as she wanted Andy back, she couldn't help but think CC was really great too. She didn't want to hurt either of them, but maybe this was her way of moving on from Andy or even better, making him jealous.

CC and Vero walked back to the bus together, hand in hand. CC made Vero feel special but she had to admit that she didn't feel as special as Andy made her feel. It seemed no matter what, no one could compare to him.

They stopped outside the bus doors before going in. CC held onto both her hands and Andy watched them from inside the bus. He saw the way CC was looking at Vero. It was the same way he had once looked at her. He let his fingers run down her smooth brown hair. Andy could feel a fire burning inside at the sight of CC fondling her that way. It made him burn with anger.

And then, CC leaned in and kissed her. The ticking bomb inside Andy's mind exploded and he knew whatever he had said to her had been wrong. She was already moving on to another guy; his band member no less. He had to apologize. He had to get her back somehow. His jealousy was controlling him.


	11. Do you see me?

To Vero, it was shocking to say the least. Andy was jealous of CC moving in on her and CC had been jealous of Andy all along. She wondered how her life could have turned into a soap opera so quickly. She had to decide who she wanted to be with the most. CC was sweet, nice, funny, and had never done anything to hurt her. Andy, however, had made her feel the lowest she could have ever felt in her life. Then, he all of a sudden decides that he wants her back. None of it made any sense.

Meanwhile, Andy was confused as to what he wanted exactly. He began to wonder why he was ever mad about the fan fiction in the first place. It was just a stupid story to him. It didn't have to mean anything. Sure, it meant something to Vero, but he could look past it. Yet, he couldn't. Something about the whole idea freaked him out and he didn't understand why.

He took it upon himself to go back and re-read the story again. He wanted to look for a deeper meaning to all this. He wanted to try and understand.

Through it all, he could tell Vero had a weird feeling for CC. Her character in the story started to drift off to him a little at points. Andy remembered what Vero had said and began to worry. What if the story was coming true? For some reason, he felt strangely moved by this. He didn't want Vero to abandon him like he had sort of abandoned her. He was realizing how she felt.

But what was he supposed to do? Vero was still mad at him for making her feel so poorly. And who could blame her? He implied that she was some psycho fangirl. The best thing for him to do now was to apologize. So that's exactly what he did.

Vero was sitting on the couch with her laptop sitting on her legs. She was furiously typing away which made the butterflies pound against the walls of Andy's stomach. What was she doing, killing him off in her story?

He sat down next to her close enough to talk but far enough to give her space. He didn't want her thinking he was going to try and peek at her screen again.

"I think we should talk." Andy said, breaking the awkward silence.

Vero stopped typing but continued to look at her screen. "There's nothing I have to say to you, Andy."

Andy sighed. "I'm sorry about what I said the other night. I didn't realize I hurt your feelings that much."

Vero just shrugged. She could feel her bad temper rising and she knew it was her biggest weakness. The smallest thing could push her over the edge and Andy was starting to annoy her. She appreciated his apology but she was still angry over the fact that he said what he did. She wasn't sure things could be the same between them again.


	12. I was praying that you and me might end up together

"Vero, can we talk please?" Andy begged. He had been trying to get her to talk to him for the longest time and she just kept ignoring him.

"You really don't realize how much my feelings were hurt, do you." Vero stated. "Without my writing, you, or this band, I would not be here right now. Think about that." And she turned and went to her bunk.

Andy was really at a loss for words or actions. It was one of those moments everyone has where you wish with everything you have in your heart to just go back and fix everything. He just wanted the chance to go back in time and redo his mistake.

Vero sat in her bunk and secretly hoped Andy would crawl in with her, tell her he was sorry and cuddle her up close to him. And she knew talking to him would just make her even angrier.

"Andy, what's going on?" CC emerged from the bunk area. "Vero just ran past me, crying."

Andy's frustration was beginning to get the better of him. It's not like he wanted to be mad at CC. But he couldn't help but get angry at the fact that he moved in on Vero so quickly. "You're the problem, CC." Ouch.

"What the fuck, Andy?" He asked, taking a step forward.

Andy stepped back. Right now was all about controlling his anger. Jealousy was a destructive emotion. And where ever that stab came from, was unknown.

"Is this because I kissed Vero?" CC continued.

"Hmm, yeah that would be it." Andy clenched a handful of his own t-shirt.

"It was an accident, I promise." CC confirmed. "I didn't mean to. And besides, Vero told me you guys weren't even together anymore, really. I thought it was okay."

At this point, it was taking all Andy had left not to throw a punch. He didn't want to hurt CC but his jealousy was overcoming him.

"What is going on out here?" Vero had heard the two shouting at each other from her bunk. In all honesty, it was very distracting and hard to ignore.

Andy relaxed his clenched fist and took a deep breath. CC looked confused as ever. Vero looked a little annoyed.

"Maybe I should just go home if you two are going to keep arguing over me like this." She decided.

"No!" Andy shouted back almost immediately. "I mean... You can't leave. I want you to stay."

"We all do. Not just Andy." CC added.

Vero smiled slightly at CC's comment. "Fine, I'll stay."

Andy sighed. "Will you agree to go to tomorrow's show, too?"

Vero thought for a minute. She wasn't too behind on her story so she figured she could spare one night. "Alright." She agreed. Tomorrow night would be fun. Or would it?


	13. These are my confessions

Vero felt someone gently shaking her awake but she chose to ignore it and turn back over to her other side. The shaking got more violent and she had to give into whoever was trying to wake her up. To her surprise, it was neither CC nor Andy. It was Ashley.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty." He smiled down on her.

She rubbed her eyes and sat up slowly. "What time is it?" She wondered aloud.

Ashley glanced at his phone. "Noon." He confirmed.

Vero looked alarmed. "Noon?! Already?! Shit, I totally didn't mean to sleep that late."

"You were up late, weren't you?" Ashley asked, sitting down on the bed next to her.

Vero looked at Ashley with skepticism clear in her blue eyes. "How did you know I was up really late?"

Ashley stood up from the bed and pulled Vero up with him. "Andy told me. He stays up until you go to sleep to make sure you're okay. You didn't know that?"

Vero didn't really know what to make of this. It was actually really sweet of Andy to care about her so much that he would stay up even until close to three or four in the morning just to make sure she's okay.

"Where is Andy and the guys anyway?" Vero asked, changing the subject. She wasn't really great on the whole topic of emotions.

"Out somewhere." Could Ashley be any more vague in his answer?

Vero just rolled her eyes at him. "Of course they're 'out somewhere'. So, um, has Andy told you anything else about me?" Vero was genuinely curious as to what Andy had said to Ashley and possibly the other band members about his feelings for her.

Ashley sighed. Vero could tell he had a lot to tell. He walked her over to the couch in the living area and sat her down. He sat down next to her and began. "He first told me how much he enjoys seeing you dripping wet in a towel."

"Ashley!" Vero smacked his arm, rather forcefully, and could feel her cheeks heating up.

Ashley laughed. "It's true! He told me that! But okay, I'll get into the more mushy romantic shit now. As I already told you, he stays up at night to make sure you're okay. He checks up on you sometimes during the night to make sure you're still breathing. He gets that paranoid about you sometimes. He loves your laugh, your smile, your eyes, the way you look at him, and even the way you write about him. He says that no one has ever been able to understand him more than you seem to understand him. Then he told me about how you got mad at him. And about CC. He refused to speak to CC for a solid week almost after that happened. If anything happened to you, I'm pretty sure he might die."

Vero could feel her heart swelling with each word Ashley spoke. Her love for Andy just grew more and more as she heard about how much he actually cared for her. She never, in her entire life, ever thought that she would get the chance to be with Andy. All the countless nights she spent crying over him were finally becoming worth it. It was a fulfilling feeling to know that you may have just found your real, true soul mate.

It was a feeling she had never felt before. His personality, his looks, him. She had never felt so close to someone or trusted someone so much before. She liked the feeling of having a guy like that. She never really trusted guys before. Andy made her learn how to trust guys. Andy was the reason why she was still alive. Andy was the reason for her tears, every breath that escaped her lips, every laugh, and every fiber in her being reached to him, desperate to cling to him and never let go.

Realization.

She had come to a realization. She had known she couldn't stay mad at him forever. And now she was realizing that Andy was feeling everything she was feeling for him but for her.

"Where's Andy?" She demanded to know.

Ashley stretched on the couch. All he said was "You'll see him tonight."


	14. Don't you dare close your eyes

The energy of the crowd was incredible. Vero felt like she could practically absorb it into her veins and let it mix with the adrenaline. Being on the other side of the barrier was so much more incredible than being where all the other fans were.

Andy had told Ashley to leave Vero in the space between the barrier and the stage. Neither of them had any idea as to why.

But Andy had a plan. He wanted to show Vero how much he cared for her. He wanted to serenade her. Her would sit by the edge of the stage and sing The Mortician's Daughter to her. He knew it was one of her favorite songs and it was sure to make her cry, even though Vero wasn't very emotional to begin with.

She heard the fans screaming and shouting the boys' names which made her assume that the guys had walked out on stage. Sure enough, when she looked up, she saw Andy looking out into the crowd, a huge smile across his face, beaming.

Vero knew that Andy loved nothing in the world as much as performing. She could see it in his eyes. She could tell by the way he let his soul pour out onto the stage. His passion cleansed him of his anxiety about haters, his nervousness about going out in front of so many people and drove his ambition.

Even though Andy had been a performer for so long, he still got the tingling of nerves in his stomach. Even though he was so confident, he still got anxiety about the amount of people in the world who, for some reason, hated his band. But this moment, right before he went onto the stage, hearing the fans chant the band name and scream out his name, that was the moment he lived for every night.

He saw Vero smiling out into the crowd, looking at everyone's excited faces. She was excited, the crowd was excited, the boys were excited, it would be a good night. Right?

After about the third song, the boys were going into their next song and the crowd went crazy. The next song was going to be Andy's serenade and he could feel the anticipation growing with each second that passed.

Suddenly, there was shriek as the amp on the opposite side Vero was on started sparking. Everyone's attention was drawn over there as the tech's tried to fix it. And then the amp next to Vero began to tip towards her. Someone else screamed and Vero looked up to see the amp falling onto her. She closed her eyes and let the weight of the amp crush her fragile body. She could still hear everything going on around her, but all she could see was black.

She could hear various security guards trying to lift the amp off her lifeless body. She heard fans buzzing about if she would be alright. And as the amp was being lifted off her body, she heard the one voice she had been waiting to hear.

"Vero! Vero, wake up! It's Andy!" His voice was full of urgency.

She tried to open her eyes but she couldn't. She wanted to see his face but her mind wouldn't allow her to.

"Vero, please! Wake up! Vero!"

_Vero, wake up. Vero. Wake up._


	15. Dream world

_Vero, wake up. Come on, Vero. Wake up, dammit._

Vero could see a faint white light as her eyes opened. She saw her friend Farrah sitting on her bed next to her.

"God dammit, Vero. Get up." Farrah barked. "We're going to be late for the BVB concert if you don't get ready right now."

"The what?" Vero asked groggily, sitting up. "Where am I?"

Farrah looked at her. "What are you talking about, dude? You're at home. I guess you fell asleep and you're mom let me in to wake you up. Now, get up. We're going to be late!" She hit Vero with a pillow before she stood up and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Vero got up off her bed and looked around her room. It was all as she had left it. She looked down at her body. She was alive, not crushed by that amp. Had it all been just a dream? It felt so real.

She grabbed one of her many BVB t-shirts and a pair of skinny jeans. She quickly changed, grabbed everything she needed and ran out of her room to join Farrah in the kitchen with Vero's mom.

Vero's mother saw her daughter and gave her a brief hug. "You girls have fun at the concert, okay?"

Vero was instantly confused. She thought her mom had said they couldn't go to the concert. Okay, she must be dreaming now. Everything that had happened, happened. [i]This[/i] was a dream. It had to be.

Vero got in the car with Farrah and sat back in the seat. Farrah started the car and they pulled out onto the street. Farrah and Vero both just kept looking straight ahead at the road ahead.

Farrah decided to break the painfully awkward silence. "What's going on with you? Since you woke up, you've been acting weird."

Vero scratched her head. "I had a weird dream."

"Do tell." Farrah pressed.

Vero took in a deep breath, trying to remember everything that had happened to her. She was still sure that it all had happened. It was all so real. It had to have happened and now she was dreaming about it. She was just knocked out from the amp. "I dreamed I ran away with Andy and the guys. Their bus broke down outside my house and Andy came looking for help. Then he asked me to run away with him like in my story--"

"Wait, you're a writer?" Farrah interrupted.

"Farrah, you've always known that. We wrote stories for each other." Vero was really freaking out by this point.

Farrah laughed. "I know, I was just messing with you."

"Fuck you." Vero slumped in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Continue." Farrah encouraged.

"Well, I don't know what else there is to say. I lived with them on the bus and toured with them. Andy found my story and told me he liked it but then shit happened and we started fighting."

"Sounds like something you two would do." Farrah giggled.

"Shut up." Vero rolled her eyes. "Anyway, CC and I started to have a thing and Andy got jealous."

"Naturally." Farrah commented.

"And then Ashley told me Andy wanted to do something special for me. So we were at the concert and an amp fell on me and basically crushed me. And that's when you woke me up. Andy had been calling to me, telling me to wake up but really it was just you."

"Aww!" Farrah swooned. "I'm your hero!" She laughed, turning up the music. The Mortician's Daughter was playing and something in Vero clicked.

Everything came back to her. She remembered laying down and telling herself she would take a quick nap before she went to the concert that night with Farrah. None of that had even happened. She had never had a relationship with Andy. He didn't actually care about her the same way she cared for him. It had all been a dream.


End file.
